Health

It is estimated that there are 700,000 cases of gonorrhea every year in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control recommends ceftriaxone sodium as the treatment of choice for Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections. Previous studies have shown that ceftriaxone can be given as a single intramuscular injection for effective treatment of all different types of gonococcal infections, including those that are resistant to other antibiotics. In a few cases, ceftriaxone has been reported to cause hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions. This article describes the case report of a 40-year-old man who had an adverse reaction to treatment with ceftriaxone for a gonococcal infection. The patient had no prior history of drug allergies and had been treated with penicillin without complications. Twenty minutes after receiving an injection of ceftriaxone (125 milligrams) in the gluteal muscle (buttocks), the patient noticed that his hands and feet were swollen and red. The swelling continued and spread to his face, throat and mouth, and he was having difficulty breathing. His blood pressure and pulse were elevated. The patient was given injections of epinephrine and diphenhydramine. This treatment relieved the symptoms and returned breathing, pulse and blood pressure to normal. The patient was given tablets of diphenhydramine to take in case the symptoms reappeared. He was told never to take cephalosporin antibiotics, and to be cautious about using penicillin. This case report serves as a reminder that although this type of reaction is very uncommon, it can be life-threatening. Everyone should be aware of their own drug allergies, if they have any, and should tell physicians about their allergies before receiving drug treatments. If an allergic reaction is going to occur, it is likely to do so within 20 to 30 minutes after drug administration. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Treatment of gonorrhea with sulbactam/ampicillin

Article Abstract:

Penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG) are organisms that cause gonorrhea and are resistant to penicillin. They have become increasingly prevalent, creating the necessity for the development of new antibiotic agents to treat infections caused by PPNG. One solution is to develop drugs that resist the penicillin-destroying enzyme (beta-lactamase) produced by the infective organisms, and another is to develop antibiotics that lack the structure beta-lactamase attacks. A third approach is to inhibit beta-lactamase itself so that it can not attack penicillin; then, any antibiotic would be effective. Sulbactam is an agent without antibacterial activity that binds to beta-lactamases. The effectiveness of sulbactam and ampicillin (a penicillin) against gonorrhea was tested in 64 patients (men and women) who visited a private clinic in Malaysia. The patients received one injection and returned for follow-up testing three to seven days later. Results showed that the cure rate was 98.4 percent for the whole group (one man was not cured and required another drug). No side effects were reported. Many patients also had chlamydial infections, which were not treated by sulbactam/ampicillin. The drug regimen was equally effective against PPNG and nonPPNG. Compared with other drugs, sulbactam/ampicillin offers several advantages in Malaysia, including its cost and injectability (which eliminates the possibility of patient noncompliance). (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Patterns of general health care and STD services use among high-risk youth in Denver participating in community-based urine chlamydia screening

Article Abstract:

There seems to be a lack of sexually transmitted disease services for youth who are in high risk situations. In a study of 221 sexually active youth in Denver, 72% had used public health services in the previous year. However, resources were limited and not all visits resulted in accomodation. Any comprehensive strategy for prevention of the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among youth must include availability of health resources.